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General discussion

Please help me understand today's tablet craze?!

Feb 22, 2013 8:12AM PST
Question:

Please help me understand today's tablet craze?!


I don't understand about the mobile tablets. I have used and
programmed computers for over 30 years. I have always told everyone
that laptops are so mobile. Now, everyone has gone nuts about
tablets. Why???? There is little storage. The keyboard screen is
pathetic. A tablet has no screen protection unless you buy a case.
Don't get me wrong, I use touch screen phones but typing on a
physical board is sooo much faster. Now, I was told that using a
tablet with a printer can be very difficult. What is going on? I
thought that maybe the cost is the key. Now there is an Apple iPad
that costs $1000. Great laptops cost less! Please help me understand
this craze, is this a fad? Your thoughts are appreciated.

--Submitted by: John C.

Discussion is locked

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Why a tablet?
Feb 23, 2013 10:56PM PST

I'm legally blind but not totally. I cannot see to read the small screens on anything big the bigger Samsung Galaxy Note and those are quite costly for me. I've been shopping for the right 7" mini-tablet to use with a Skype app to make my calls. I need one that can use a mobile phone access card in case there is no public WiFi handy. I also want one that has an SD card slot and a USB that can handle a thumb drive. I would need a Bluetooth keyboard for it because you just can't feel the 'keys' of an onscreen keyboard. With a keyboard and an SD card or flash with NVDA, Non-Visual Desktop Access app, I'd have the same controls I have on my desktop computer. I also intend to use it as a reader and music player. I may use it for FB'ing or emails, but to a lesser extent.

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Tablets are too limited
Feb 24, 2013 10:53AM PST

I appreciate the comments on tablets. Since my first reply I now realize that some of my observations have been validated. My wife's use of an iPad has helped her (eyesight decrease) be able to magnify items to read by placing them in "white text on black" mode but the logic of the iPad still mystifies both of us. We're both used to Mac and Windows computers but the "glitchy" nature of iPad responses with no instructions on our part frustrates and confuses both of us. Stuff disappears without warning and for no apparent reason. Admittedly, some of the problem is unfamiliarity with the product but can a tablet be so intuitive that one cannot use it effectively? I'll stick with a traditional laptop or desktop, thanks. Anyway, how can a product like the iPad be so useful when there are NO written instructions on how to start using it; you have to download the instructions of 140 pages or so with instructions that we couldn't find. The lack of functionality mentioned by other CNET contributors gives me more support for sticking with what I do understand. Our most recent attempt at connecting a printer so my wife could have a hard copy of what she had created meant having a knowledgeable relative spend 3 hours of his time getting the unit to print. This is not "out-of-the-box" easy to use. Maybe Alvin Toffler's book from the 70's "Future Shock" was right...maybe man's and woman's ability to keep up with the pace and complexity of change is causing our "shutdown".... Sorry, but that's our experience and now we're stuck with a less than useful $500 gizmo.....

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Do I need a tablet
Feb 24, 2013 5:34PM PST

Pros of a tablet:
Usually excellent battery life as compared to a laptop
Instantaneous boot (I know laptop that are beginning to rival this but they are not nearly mainstream)
Portability / Weight
Simplicity - Very few OS hassles (and if there are just factory reset)
Cloud Connectivity - documents, address books stored on a server somewhere so when you lose the device you buy a new one and most of your stuff comes back.
Works faster outta the box - I'm not worried about giving it to grandparents or the three year old and they press some button and I don't know what happened (well mostly not worried... they can still drop it).
Several hundreds of free / low cost software (apps)
Account driven purchasing of software - no more losing discs and product keys.
Low amount of malware/viruses for IOS/Android/WinRT and curated gardens by those companies to keep you safe.

Cons
No keyboard - typing on them is pretty terrible (I know you can buy a seperate keyboard but I don't like buying accessories)
Semi terrible printing - printing support is pretty bad (I would say only good on the full windows tablets)
Semi terrible media creation - (I don't see many people running about with their ipads creating docs in pages)
Connections with other devices is iffy at best... will generally work with some type of adapter that is not sold with the device.
Small storage space.
Without internet connectivity your experience will probably be pretty poor
Terrible repair-ability - you break it you're most likely buying another one not fixing it.
Remote nuke - companies have control to take content back out of your device even disable the device entirely (although unlikely there is precedence for such occurrences).

Other Notables
They seem to make you forget your other devices - you ever watch a person taking video or a picture with their ipad.
Execs will say they are the greatest thing ever but all I see them do is present a picture slide show. I can do that with a photo frame.

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Just to clarify some of those points...
Mar 3, 2013 3:59AM PST

CPros -
Excellent battery life - depends on the make and model of the unit. Some are better than others.
Instant boot - Eh.. Not so much. My Ainol Novo 7 takes abut 1 minute or so to cold boot. After all, it is running Android - which is a flavor of Linux. On the plus side, once booted, it can go to sleep and be woken up instantly.
Works faster outta the box - than what? Even though most tablets come with some complimentary games and apps, it's like any other computing device - it will require finding, downloading and installing other apps to bend the default tablet to your needs.

Cons -
No keyboard - Should read "No PHYSICAL keyboard". All such devices do have an on screen keyboard.
Connections with other devices is iffy at best - Well.. That's one of those things that falls into the "that depends" catagory. It depends on how much effort you want to put into connecting them. Wifi usually works pretty well, but once connected it's generally a matter of getting them to talk to each other.
Small storage space - Well... that kinda flys into the face of one of your Pros - Cloud Connectivity - and how much storage you've got there. But most tablets have an SD chip slot you can use to add more storage. The notable exception - the iOS line of devices. DOH!
Without internet connectivity your experience will probably be pretty poor - That would depend largely on the app in question. I managed to survive without internet access with my tablet for about 4 months (at home) as I had problems with my wifi router. Still, the apps I used worked fine - even the ad supported ones - without the cloud...
There's one more you can add to the cons list...
Flash - Much of the internet runs on Flash. Games such as Farmville on Facebook, most videos on YouTube, and other popular items - live and breathe Flash. Some content is available, but much of it is not. I know I've gone out to find a song on YouTube by way of the tablet - so I can turn a friend onto a band I've come across - only to be blocked because that video is Flash only. DOH! Sometimes you get lucky while others - not so much.

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Well let me tack a wack @ this :-)
Feb 24, 2013 11:35PM PST

John, your question, although valid to some degree, sounds strange in this day and age(no offence intended)
it is after all an IT revolution(or evolution if you will) happening outside, right this moment.

Tablet is an evolutionally step for consumption device. Key word is "CONSUMPTION".
Tablet was not designed or intended to replace PC on content creation front.
It was intended to replace an over-powered and oversized devices (read "PC"s/laptops) used to day for simple tasks like read email/browse web/read books/news etc.

Just because some individuals out there try to use Tablet device as a replacement for the full functional PC
And that run screaming that it does not work. Does not mean that Tablet have no place in today's life.

That said,
For the most obvious reason tablet craze is out there is Apple Aggressive Marketing.
Apple have brought the Tablet Computing to the masses and now everyone want to jump on the band wagon regardless or actual need or not.

Even though tablets have existed before few years ago, they were a niche market. Only some enthusiasts and some professional in highly specialized markets had/used them . the devices of the time were too specialized and had too small of support in terms of software and contents to be appealing for general public.

Apple changed that by coming out with an attractive looking device with an UI designed for General public (no computer skill needed to operate) and a good back bone support for content availability.

So as more and more consumers bought into the hype and got the "i-Pad" they discovered that
Many of them do not really need a PC for what they do every day.
That they can use a Portable device instead and it is more convenient faster and easier for them.

And that is the gist of it.

Tablet is more convenient and easier to use for content consumption which most people out there is doing every day.
And for the selected few who also need to create things or do a heavy processing of data, there are still nothing beats the PC and so they might have both, a PC for heavy data/contents processing and a Tablet for more convenient consumption.

Note: This post was edited by its original author to replace with revised posting on 03/01/2013 at 1:33 PM PT

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Tablets are not laptops
Feb 25, 2013 1:09AM PST

The paradigm for a tablet is much different then a laptop, don't equate the two.

Tablets advantage over Laptops:
1. Instant ON
2. Built in motion and position sensors
3. Dual cameras
4. Built in GPS (majority)
5. 2x to 3x battery life
6. Significantly lighter
7. One handed operation (especially with smaller ones)
8. Thinner
9. Cellular built in option, some can use majority of carriers.
10. Most can be charged from any USB ports, however varies greatly (some need 2.1amp USB ports (big iPad))
11. Very easy to use, yet still productive.
12. Keyboard options via connected or more typically BlueTooth.
13. Almost no fear from viruses or malware, especially compared to ubiquitous Windows.
14. It is much more sociable device due to portability and features then laptop.
15. Touchscreen allow unique input methods, and more then one can use tablet at same time.
16. It is a much more Personal Computer then a PC
17. Capable to being used as completely instrument panel in aircraft (see Wing-X by Hilton software)
18. You don't look weird holding it above your head or odd angles.
19. If you don't have at least 2 tablets you are a fuddy duddy. J/K Wink


Yes, laptops have advantages, if you use it differently from tablets.

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Instant ON?
Feb 25, 2013 1:41AM PST

I've seeing very few that meet that criteria. That is, your definition must be lower than mine.

Instant on here is "About the speed of how fast the light bulb comes on after you flick the switch."

I'm seeing about a second around here, sometimes longer as it connects to networks.
Bob

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sociable device
Mar 1, 2013 1:58PM PST

Er, that's an oxymoron. Most devices make people UNsociable, as in people listening to music on the radio, instead of singing with each other, or sitting watching TV instead of talking to each other, or texting under the table at dinner while there are real people sitting next to you to talk to. That's rudeness, modern society is full of this, and it needs to stop! I don't like going over to someone's house to visit and all they do is watch the TV, nor going out to dinner and your daughter never speaks to you but is "texting" someone else. The rare exception to this is the telephone, so that you can keep in touch with someone far away, hear their voice, in a way you could never do otherwise.
This whole talk of Skype builds on that, but having to purchase something besides a basic phone connection to do it turns me off. (Apparently you have to have high speed internet, or a broadband connection, or something, and some tablet device, or a computer WITH speakers, a camera, and a microphone... I have speakers, but i never saw much use for them, and usually have them off. I don't have a camera or microphone. There's a camera on my cel phone but it's useless, blurry, and I finally taped over it so I don't take pictures of my foot by accident.)

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Three days and counting...
Feb 25, 2013 7:46AM PST

Okay, John C. You started this topic three days ago. Unless I missed it, I've not read any post from you. Are you still interested or is your job for cnet to simply post questions? Just curious.
Whatever it may be, this has been a fascinating read.

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Tablets
Feb 26, 2013 1:40AM PST

Not all tablets run as high as the Apple Ipad. You have to compare Apples to Apples and PCs to Androids. That being said, the tablet market is all about portability. A laptop is portable, but can become rather cumbersome when having to be carried and set up and broken down and set back up. A tablet is ready to use at a moment's notice and has extraordinary battery life. I have an Android tablet, PC laptop, and a PC desktop. I use each one based on the task at hand. Desktops are obviously more robust, but lack portability. Laptops add portability, but also are set up to deal with more tasks than a tablet. I can do nearly anything on my tablet that I want, but I generally only use it for an eReader, email, etc. Things that aren't very taxing or difficult, but that I would like to have at a moment's notice and put away just as quickly.

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From wired.com
Feb 26, 2013 4:17AM PST

"When tablets first came out, and by that we mean the iPad, the
sleek machines were primarily used for reading, watching video and playing
games. Consuming stuff, in other words. Those activities are still a big part of
how tablets earn their place in our lives, but a recent study suggests that more
and more, tablets are being used more actively, to research and buy all kinds of
stuff - formerly the province of the personal computer.
By the end 2013 tablets will account for 20 percent of Google's
paid search ad clicks in the U.S., up from 6 percent in January 2012 according
to research by Marin Software, a San Francisco-based company that helps large
advertisers manage their online advertising.
And it's not just the volume of the tablet clicks that is
rising, it's also the value.
Last year the average cost per click of ads served up on
tablets rose 25 percent, ending the year at 62 cents. Desktop rates rose 9
percent to end the year at 75 cents per click. (Smartphones lag the bunch at 48
cents per click).
The gap between tablets and PCs won't last long, says Gagan
Kanwar, director of research at Marin Software and the author of the report.
Kanwar gathered his data from a cross section of clients that spanned industries
and geographies, spending in aggregate more than $4 billion on paid search
advertising.
"By the close of 2013, the cost per click of advertising served
up on tablets should equal that of desktops," Kanwar says. For Google that
should translate to $5 billion in paid search revenue from tablets alone.
The mounting evidence is that for a growing number of people,
the tablet has replaced the PC as a primary gadget for all kinds of computing
tasks. That seems obvious to those of us who just bought a tablet, or have
watched the fortunes of PC giants like HP and Dell flag.
But the big shift is that advertisers are seeing the evidence
too, and are increasing the share of their search advertising budgets earmarked
for mobile gadgets accordingly - almost doubling from 10 percent to 18.4 percent
in 2012 alone. By the end of this year, Kanwar says, mobile devices will account
for one-third of search advertising budgets.

Clearly, Google saw it coming. Better than most, the search
giant could see that tablet ads were performing just like the desktop. That is
why Google made the biggest change to AdWords in the last five years,
essentially removing the distinction between desktop and tablet ad campaigns.
"They are basically saying from our point of view desktop and tablets are
converging," Kanwar says.

Which begs the question: if the tablet is becoming the PC as
far as advertisers are concerned, what is the smartphone?

For now it is a separate animal, Kanwar says. In the United
States half of tablet searches are net new searches, the other half are
cannibalizing a desktop or notebook PC. Searches from smartphones are all gravy,
or in slightly drier terms, incremental - searches for restaurants, movie times
and clothing that wouldn't otherwise happen.

The race to find a way to make smartphone advertising pay is
just beginning. Seeing as it involves, Apple, Facebook, Google, Microsoft and
every internet giant (or would-be giant) it's going to be a demolition
derby.

<div id="linker_widget" nodeindex="16"></div>

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Well, John
Feb 26, 2013 1:57PM PST

You are probably more confused then ever reading these posts. Everyone has a reason for liking tablets and, while nobody really "hates" them, some don't see the use for them in their daily lives. So my suggestion is:

1) investigate what the tablets do and what they won't do. They differ somewhat. Read the reviews.

2) Analyze YOUR needs. Do you need a tablet? Remember that one "need" could be just that 'it is cool'.

3) Do you have a better or more cost-effective way of accomplishing your needs.

It is really that simple.

If you have a need or a want for one, get one.

Here is a dilema that I have. It's very related.

My department is getting iPads for everyone at work. They are all mobile and travel and executives so a tablet seems appropriate. The problem is this:

I work in a government office dealing with CRIMINAL data (and criminal medical data, too) so HIPAA and CJIS both apply. The EXECs want iPads but there is NO way they can connect to the network. There is no WiFi. The tablets, if I'm not mistaken, don't have ethernet cable connections. VPN where I work does NOT include IPSEC and uses a WINDOWS-only application for VPN connectivity. Except for this Windows-only app and email they can't get into the network at all. (No, Windows Surface won't work, I don't think).

They all have iPhones and can only get their email through a special interface so I guess they will be able to use email on the iPads.

My question: should they even bother?

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VERY interesting post!
Feb 27, 2013 1:18AM PST

Hi Hforman: I really enjoyed your post and your thoughts about the validity of an iPad for your work, as you describe the limitations.
I know that some companies do NOT value "free thinkers" and punish anyone that asks questions. Is that your company or not? I'm asking because, if your comments are NOT welcome, you'll just have to "put up and shut up" and take the free iPad. If your company DOES encourage talks (without repercussions) then you could point out to T.P.T.B. the concerns you posted HERE, and express your concerns for not only the usefulness of an iPad but also the cost of outfitting all the exec's with one. Mind you, I've had friend's who thought they were doing their company a favour by asking honest questions about costly perks and they were 'shot down' and told to "Shut Up!"; apparently everyone wanted the free goodies.
In my company, I welcome every single measure to save money so I can spend it elsewhere. I listen to and reward every employee that saves me time and money. But, I know I'm in the minority and most employees (even up to the V.P. level) just want to have gifts/perks rain down on them.
Of my friend's who own iPads, almost 90% were offered one through their company. When their company upgraded from the original iPad to the latest version, they were allowed to keep the original one, no strings attached. Happy

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Not Exactly
Feb 27, 2013 1:27PM PST

I'm a contractor so I don't get anything. They gave me a desktop as others have but that is it. I have my own Netbook (old Acer) but that is mine but to use it, I still have to abide by the rules (most don't think they have to unless they get caught.

I work for a very LARGE county government (well over 100,000 employees). Has not much to do with "free-thinkers". It has more to do with getting anyone to operate in a "timely" manner. We still have not completely implemented suggestions from over 10 years ago (they claim it is "only" two years). Things we need right now or yesterday will probably take years.

The big issue is that any time we have even the smallest breach in security, the employees involved just shrug their shoulders and nothing much changes and those responsible are never held accountable. But every little breach means big write-ups in national newspapers. We are intrusted with contituent information and only now do some realize that the government has to provide credit-watch service and many argue against even that.

In my area, there is a federal requirement that everything we work on has to be CJIS-compliant (feds set up the criteria for security) and HIPAA-compliant (FEDS set up security for patient records). So what does this mean to tablets?

1. You can't put any data on a tablet. None. If it is a laptop, the entire hard drive (so far) has to be encrypted. This technically applies to consultants as well. If you lose a device and don't report it, you could even face criminal prosecution.

2. Cloud usage - Google has said that no public cloud is CJIS-compliant. They are wrong if you consider certain contracted clouds are CJIS-compliant but none where the employees are not certified by the U.S. government and claims that the cloud provider employees can read your stuff. Patient medical records: the "public" clouds tell you up front that they are not HIPAA- compliant. If you get caught by the feds our fines would be over $1 million. For even something tiny like one field not being properly protected (no breach) we received a $12,500 fine.

So,there is definitely a data security element to everything we do at a government site. The problem comes where a lot of the employees, especially "executives", want all the toys. They could have WiFi if they got it from the County with all of the security stuff on but they don't want to pay for it. They don't even want any security if it is inconvenient saying that they don't work with secure data but they don't realize that, if they get hit with malware, they can be used as a doorway to servers that do have that data.

Now consider this. If most of the workers NEVER travel, do they need tablets? No, they don't because tablets are really inconvenient and not productive for people who just sit at their desk all day running WINDOWS and MAINFRAME applications. I mean "All Day!" Try using a tablet constantly for 8-10 hours straight (OK, 1 hour max for lunch) and see how your wrist/arm feels if you don't have a mouse and a real keyboard. Some people think that business is all about "innovation" but in many businesses, people are just doing their job which may mean order entry (typing in names, addresses, billing information). Others are adding information to criminal records through a secure computer. Not everyone out there innovates.

How about a secretary (excuse me, "administrative assistant" who just takes dictation and types memos all day. A tablet?

What things boil down to is that some, by nature of what they do, can use tablets. Others don't have a need or use for it. I think that is what this question is all about. My recent question is, if you have high-security concerns can you give a tablet "securely" to some careless (possibly) individual who has already lost a laptop without imposing data security controls that will make the tablet less enticing to use but are necessary or federal government-mandated?

And what if the organization is slow to adopt the proper controls, maybe even knowing that many will NOT want to use them because they are 'inconvenient'?

Let me ask this. Would you like your tablet as much if every time you go to use it, you have to enter a userid and a strong password? And this login times-out avery few minutes of inactivity? And if you misplace the tablet, you must report it immediately to your office and it will be WIPED clean remotely? If you play with secure data (government, medical, credit card, human resources or anything personally identifiable, your experience will require these inconvenient controls?

This is a major concern when I hear that some government workers require tablets. Thats why there is a hesitation of some companies to use these devices and for use of the public cloud. Many still interpret "cloud" to be a public web service (Dropbox, Google, etc.) but most businesses that deal with sensitive data are working on private clouds. I mention clouds only in that some tie public cloud use to tablet use.

Howie

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Government!
Mar 3, 2013 1:22AM PST

Sounds like government to me: spending a ton of money on something that really won't work in the particular environment. Kudos to the salesman who put this idea over!

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The Execs Now Don't Want iPads
Mar 4, 2013 1:45PM PST

Since they don't want to pay for secure wifi (which can't connect to the local network anyway), they wanted 4G. The county won't pay for 4G so they decided not to go with these devices.

I think that one of the issues that employees have to deal with in the use of tablets and (public) cloud is data security. Making sure a portable device is protected from loss or theft without getting a visit from the FBI or Homeland Security. Especially in government/militrary or government contractor use.

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Dell Latitude 10 tablet
Feb 27, 2013 6:43AM PST

The Dell Latitude 10 tablet will run windows 8 and a desktop version. It has WIFI and a dock that has an ethernet port. sd card slot and full usb port. Can run any app that you are now using.

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Don't think of them as computers...
Feb 28, 2013 2:24AM PST

Think of them as reasonably cheap semi-disposable entertainment devices. They appeal to people whose needs are limited -web surfing, movie watching, email, ebooks, Facebook and simple games. The fact that they cost a fraction of the price of a well-equiped notebook or smartphone adds considerably to the package.

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Not a craze but development and fashion.
Mar 1, 2013 8:02AM PST

I think you must be stuck in a rut or not liking to be out of your comfort zone.
The first computer took up a couple of large rooms, then gradually they got smaller. New chips and programmes were developed.
We now have a desktop for WORK or for doing intensive video editing, printing etc. Later, but running alongside we had laptops. Perhaps to take work home or whilst travelling. Then we had netbooks, again running alongside the desktop etc. Of course things developed,touchscreens, mobile phones etc. Now the tablet is meant for web browsing, reading books , skype ,perhaps a little writing. It is just more convenient. Also because you are not doing intensive work or attached to printers and scanners [desktop usage]. They are much faster. Perhaps you prefer to read a book using a laptop?
Go with the flow. .

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I love Tablets
Mar 1, 2013 8:08AM PST

I am a techy and work in IT. I use my tablet for a multitude of things, but the the thing I do the most with it is connect to several of the desktops at work thru several apps. I update those computers from my tablet. I have found tablets very useful in the IT field. They have made my job and life easier, they are lightweight and have a longer battery life. They are great for traveling, my wife will read a book, and my daughter can watch a movie. I still use my laptop for hardcore uses, but with my tablet my laptop does not get overused.

Tablets may not be for everyone, but for me they have made my life and work more productive, and have decreased my workload by 30%.

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My tablets
Mar 1, 2013 8:12AM PST

I am a retiree, have two tablets, a Kindle and an Ipad. I love my Ipad for sharing photos, playing games, emails and for quick internet searches when I'm away from home. The Kindle is great to have in my bag for a quick read while waiting for a bus, plane, doctor or dentist. I still use my laptop when I'm home for internet and documents. As you say, typing is much quicker on a proper keyboard. Remember that each person is an individual and therefore has different needs and so many of us love new gadgets.

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hey lets spark a debate about a subject no one is debating
Mar 1, 2013 8:23AM PST

oh Hi
sitting with big innocent eyes staring out what is everyone so crazy about? What could anyone possibly want with a computer you can put into your pocket attach to almost any screen and keyboard. portable computing at its finest.
but lets get back to the OP's "gee I can't figure it out lets state all the negatives that every single computing device has had when it first came out." maybe I'll get famous because I asked a question I know the answer to as well as everyone else on the planet. Well lets I also have 30 years of computer experience and yet I see the continual evolution of the computing device in it's current form and I can see where it is headed.as the man in the movie said " pardon me while I whip this out".

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I bought the iPad but still cannot fully utilize it
Mar 1, 2013 8:30AM PST

The tablet is the future of the laptop. Most of the users use the tablet as the e-reader, checking email, photo viewing. The success of the tablet is subject to the popularity of "Cloud" Computing. Now, Apple, Dropbox and more than a dozen cloud computing companies provide this kind of service. In addition, the open source documentation program really change the application computers. We can use google documents, apple Notes to create documents instead of rely on MS Office. We can create powerpoint document on the tablet and put the file in the cloud. Then, we can access the file at anywhere instead of installing on the hard drive. In the near future, tablet computers will combine our home and business computers when the capacity of the tablets increases significantly and lower the price.

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In Defense of Tablets
Mar 1, 2013 8:36AM PST

I'm a sales guy--my iPad allows me to carry all of my product catalogs in PDF form (printed and stacked about three feet tall and 40+lbs) with me all the time into any customer situation. I can quickly pull up any page, specification, whatever, show it to the customer or email him the specific pages he wants.....all with a single device I can easily carry with me. Yes, a laptop with hot spot can also do all of this, too, but it has to be turned on, booted up, etc. With the iPad, I can make more sales calls, more quality sales calls and serve my customers better.

How did I ever do without it??

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Tablet Craze?
Mar 1, 2013 8:45AM PST

We have a Nook, we use it for reading. I have a Nokia Lumia 920 for a phone, and I have a laptop and desktops at home, for games, movies, document writing, pictures, and music listening.. If I want to go to a coffee shop and sip a Starbucks, watch a movie or play music, I will bring my laptop, yes it's bigger and heavier, but holds much more stuff then a tablet can. My Lumia is great for calls, pictures and listening to music on the go, checking email and It plays movies that look great, it's a small screen, but nice looking!
I don't see a need for a tablet, but who knows, I may get one someday if they go down in price?
Are Tablets a craze? I think they can be for many people, but then smart phones were thought of as a craze at one time.

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Why Tablets are useful to me.
Mar 1, 2013 8:49AM PST

I'm in the I.T field and do a lot of networking for different locations and for the most part the tablet makes it easy to go in and out of my routers and fix what little problems that may surface, or even simpler task such as changing my password for my locations. And having a tablet to do this makes things more convenient because I don't have to power it on and off all the time, or haul around my laptop for small things as such.

But for heavy tasks, I'd use my laptop instead.

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I felt the same until I used one
Mar 1, 2013 8:50AM PST

The idea of sinking big bucks into a tablet sounded a little dumb to me at first. An underpowered portable computer with an under sized screen and lame touch screen keyboard did not impress at all.

My son bought an Android Tablet with a 7" screen and let me use it outdoors. To be honest with you I was blown away. We can download Topo maps and use the GPS function to find locations deep in the woods. He has a Ap? that lets you hold the tablet over your head and locate star systems and satellites and literally dozens, maybe hundreds? Of uses I did not expect. As expected it is handy for downloading books & music. We also put a half dozen movies on a USB drive.

I realize that you may not spend much time in the woods. However I anticipate that you may be surprised at the various functions that a tablet can perform the are not practical on a laptop.

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Starry Eyed
Mar 2, 2013 10:09PM PST

Hi ozark123: I'm so glad that you mentioned the Stargazer app; I had completely forgotten about it, mainly because it's Winter and your fingers freeze off at night! LOL
We live one mile from a 2,000 acre state park in Michigan. Every single weekend during the Summer months, they an event that starts with stories around a campfire on the beach (Lake Michigan) and then followed up with Stargazing. Since we've been here the past 15 years, it's fascinating to see the evolution of "how" the stargazing has evolved. Fifteen years ago, it was three telescopes that people queued up to look through and the ranger pointing out constellations with a laser pointer. Now, 15 years later, the ranger truck is equipped as a mobile "hot spot" and has on a sign the various Stargazer apps for Android and Apple, for people to download prior to the weekly event. Yes, there are still the same 3 telescopes for special viewings, but now, instead of a lame-**** laser, we all point our tablets/smart phones at the sky and can find planets/constellations/meteor showers instantly, making the experience SO much nicer!!!! For those rare few people who have neither a smartphone nor tablet, the ranger has an iPad (large screen) that he can show the various people what to look for in the sky. Depending upon which sky app you download, some are superimposed with a lion for Leo or scales for Libra.
Also, another real bonus that I forgot to mention, simply because of the season, is that the Audubon Society and others have apps for bird/tree/flower/etc. identification, so instead of lugging multiple heavy books around, you "have an app for that!" I downloaded the Birding and Tree app over 2 years ago and use it every single time that I'm in the woods. If I really can't figure out what something is, I take a photo of it with my tablet and then use the Pinch & Zoom feature once home, to identify it via my laptop.
Thanks for reminding me of the Summer benefits of a tablet, ozark123. Happy

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It depends on your line of work
Mar 1, 2013 8:51AM PST

Hello,

You received so much input already I just thought to add quickly my two cents.

For me a tablet is much faster and convenient way of managing all my e-life (email,docs,web browsing,shopping, selling, communications with family,friends,clients,suppliers, etc.)

Almost everything is so much easier and faster with a tablet, safer too if you count virus and malware. I was a programmer about 20 years ago and been around computers for about 30 years now, so I now my way around computers I'm one of the fastest people I know using Windows and Macs, and still find my way wanting the convient UI of multitouch and a flash based device.

I travel on business regularly, I carry my laptop and iPad, but the laptop is only for the tasks I won't be able to do on the latter, it turns out that it's been months since I opened my laptop. All my travel work I do it on the iPad and I'm loving it.

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The Next Tablet Will NOT Be an Apple Product!
Mar 1, 2013 8:52AM PST

Hi, Lee,

I bought a used iPad 2 (WiFi only) within two weeks of the iPad 3's unveiling and have never been able to integrate it into my Windows-based Home Network. I think I have tried every free app without success. I'd pay for any app that works, but won't just try different ones without a free trial period. Any apps that did work, worked once and never again. Very frustrating, to say the least. I "jailbroke" it and was then unable to upgrade the iOS, so restored it to the "normal" configuration. It then updated without any problems.

The Apple forums were absolutely no help. I have come to the conclusion that the iOS works and users don't have to know why....and don't!

With a very decent Windows laptop selling for about $500.00, I doubt that I will ever purchase another tablet, unless the SURFACE integrates with a home network. Anything would certainly be better than the iPad! When this poops its guts, I think I might try some disassembly.

Best Regards,

Bob